The present invention relates to a biblical scripture speaking doll that is preprogrammed to recite biblical sayings as a "values" learning tool for children. Too often today children are exposed to TV programs, public officials and neighbors whose actions and lives do not properly convey religious values deemed so important to parents. Further, interactive games and toys are geared to commercial ventures and entertainment, with the result that parents, who wish to expose their young children to traditional religious values, while offering them a playful doll, have little from which to choose.
Talking and interactive dolls, as known in the prior art, are reflected in the following U.S. Pat. Nos:
a.) No. 5,820,440, to Truchsess, discloses a toy doll or bear that laughs or sings a nursery song when bounced or dandled. A particular area on the rump of the doll is pressure sensitive and produces the given sound when a pressure level is detected in that particular area that is within a range of pressure levels produced when the doll's rump contacts the child's knee in a gentle bounce. In an alternative embodiment, electrically conductive sensors are provided on the rump area of the doll to detect when the doll's ramp is wet. Tapping one of the bear's knees selects a respective song and controls the sound generator's mode of operation. PA1 b.) No. 5,795,213, to Goodwin, relates to a portable toy having an audio signal producer in combination with a book The book has a plurality of numbered pages containing parts of a story. The toy is provided with a plurality of pressure switches designating different pages of the book. When a particular pressure switch is depressed, the text of the corresponding page is read aloud through a speaker provided in the toy. PA1 c.) No. 5,738,561, to Pracas, teaches a doll having a microphone and sound recording device along with a sound playback device and a speaker. The doll is provided with contacts or buttons to activate the sound recording device and the sound playback device. A child may speak to the doll and record messages, which may be played back at a later time. PA1 d.) No. 5,607,336, to Lebensfeld et al., discloses a uniquely constructed message delivering doll or action figure, which is capable of providing, when activated, words or phrases specifically relating to one desired, precise subject, activity, profession or area of interest for which the doll or action figure is dressed. This is accomplished with a toy doll or action figure which incorporates an audio generator contained therein for producing audible messages, message containing components removably interconnectable therewith, and outfits of wearing apparel for designating or relating to one specific subject, activity, profession, or area of interest. PA1 e.) No. 5,413,516, to Lam, relates to a toy doll with lips that move as speech sounds are produced from a speaker. Pressing a button on the body of the doll activates an integrated circuit that sends voice signals to the speaker, which transmits the sounds. This in turn actuates a switch, causing a motor to run. The drive shaft of the motor rotates, causing a series of meshing gears to turn. The axle of a gear in the series that passes through the eccentric bore of an internal cam causes the cam to move so that it forces an L-shaped cam follower to rock back and forth about a pivot point. The rotatable pivot rod is supported by the rigid torso of the doll, and one end of the cam follower is attached to the interior of the doll's flexible face at a point connecting the two lips. The rocking of the cam follower causes the lips to close and open in a simultation of talking. The motor only runs, and consequently the lips only move, at the same time that simulated speech is transmitted from the speaker. A portion of the doll's rigid body that is interior to its flexible head supports the head and prevents the head and face from collapsing or becoming distorted during operation. PA1 f.) No. 4,775,352, to Curran et al., teaches an animated audio doll whose mouth can be driven by replaceable tape cartridges. The doll has a head member with simulated eyes and mouth that can open and close. Uni-directional direct current motors are provided in the body of the doll and are connected to the respective eyes and mouth through flexible driven links that protect the motor if either the eyes or the mouth are held stationary. The tape cartridge can be encoded with audio signals, a base frequency and a pair of coordinated frequency timing signals. The tape player can convert the frequency timing signals into digital signal levels while a binary switch member can determine when the mouth is in a closed position. A level detector circuit can determine whether the first or second timing signals are present and a logic circuit can, in combination with the timing signals and the output from the binary swith, drive the DC motor connected to the mouth in coordination with the audio sounds.
While the respective dolls or animated Figures of the prior art disclose some form of a talking doll, none are directed specifically to the combination of a talking doll that recites biblical scriptures or teachings, especially where such recitations are in a child's voice. The manner by which the doll of the present invention may be used as a teaching support of religious principles will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.